The Film

Dr. Falci’s journey into adaptive racing started when one of his paralyzed patients asked him about racing for those with paraplegia. Falci wanted to help his patient and other quadriplegic and paraplegic individuals. But while there are adaptive recreational programs for many sports and activities, there was nothing in motorsports.

He pursued the idea that set him off on a multi-year journey. Falci bought a used Corvette and had a para-Vette race car built for his original patient. That patient got to drive it around a test track at 120MPH. That’s when the light bulb went off. Dr. Falci then pursued the idea of building a race car that a quadriplegic individual could drive using emerging adaptive technologies. He enlisted the help of two giant tech/electronics engineering firms, plus some fighter jet technology from the U.S. Air Force to build the quad-Vette. He also enlisted the help of Sam Schmidt, an Indy-car racer who was paralyzed from the neck down after a crash.

Scott Falci and Sam Schmidt made history when Sam drove around the Indy 500 race track just before the Indy 500. The entire story was chronicled in the award-winning documentary, Reengineering Sam.

Reengineering Sam

REENGINEERING SAM - Award-winning documentary film
“If we can make it so a paraplegic individual can drive, why couldn’t we make it so a quadriplegic individual can drive?”
Reengineering SAM chronicles the sobering realities of living with quadriplegia through the eyes of former IndyCar racer, Sam Schmidt and his family. Follow Sam’s inspirational history-making drive back to the Indianapolis 500 using futuristic adaptive technologies that allow him to drive using only his head and reclaim his life.
Sam Schmidt lived out his boyhood dream as an IndyCar racer, winning races and earning the title of IndyCar “Rookie of the Year” along the way. That dream came to an abrupt end when Sam crashed into a wall at 200 miles per hour, leaving him a quadriplegic. Reengineering SAM pulls the curtain back and shows up close the serious implications of a life of paralysis on Sam and everyone around him.
Sam’s accident rendered him physically helpless, never being able to brush his teeth, much less drive again, until a dedicated group of some of the brightest minds today stepped up to build him a car that he could drive, using only his head. Through groundbreaking adaptive technologies, Reengineering SAM chronicles Sam Schmidt’s inspirational road back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and shows the promise of freedom and mobility for almost anyone confined to a wheelchair.
Reengineering Sam won the Colorado Filmmaker Award at the 2016 Denver International Film Festival.